Slashdot Mirror

Here here on avoiding the wall mount rack. I didn't run quite as many cables as this poster but I did run 2xCAT6, 2xCAT3 and 2xCOAX to each location.

In the basement I hung a piece of 2'x4' x 3/4" plywood on the wall with some cement screws and then got a surface mount CAT6 12 port punch block. A 8 way coax splitter with terminator caps. A signal amplifier and a small unmanaged gigabit switch. I haven't actually terminated the phone lines as I don't have "land line" phones anyway. I just ran the CAT3 since I was already in the walls. To hold up a "server" (purpose built PC) I bought (from a big box home improvement store) a set of "heavy duty" adjustable shelf brackets and 2x9" deep shelf.

My motivation for going all "PC" grade stuff was that I did not want the power consumption of enterprise/datacenter class equipment. My "server" has a 300W PSU in it which is enough to drive the CPU, Mobo, drives and a few other accessories but it should be operating at about 80% capacity which is where most PSUs run most efficient. As for the switch I just bought a little 8port d-link gigabit switch which uses a 5v 1.0A wall wart. My next endevor is to plug each device in to a Kill-A-Watt to how much power each actually uses.

"Server" specs:
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3
CPU: i5-2500k (No OC)
RAM: 16G DDR3
HDD: 4x (1x Samsung 7200.12, 3x Samsung 7200.11) (Had to RMA one of my 7200.11s and got a 7200.12 as replacement.)

Links (for references, not endorsements)
Cat6 12 port punch block: http://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-N250-012-Mount-Feedthrough/dp/B000HZES42
8 Way Splitter: http://www.amazon.com/Philips-PH61046-8-WAY-Cable-Splitter/dp/B0009A3IXW
Terminator Caps http://www.computercablestore.com/Coaxial_Termination_Cap_catID3984.aspx

My 2c.
-Alan

If you were going only with 10BaseT, you could get away with baluns.

Something like this:

http://www.computercablestore.com/Monoline_Coax_Balun_Femal_PID7450.aspx

I have an easier solution.

A few of these..

One or two of these.

Maybe this or a smaller order.

And a smattering of these.

Problem solved.

I have an easier solution.

A few of these..

One or two of these.

Maybe this or a smaller order.

And a smattering of these.

Problem solved.

I have an easier solution.

A few of these..

One or two of these.

Maybe this or a smaller order.

And a smattering of these.

Problem solved.

I have an easier solution.

A few of these..

One or two of these.

Maybe this or a smaller order.

And a smattering of these.

Problem solved.